


Familiar

by Snowsungirl



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-06
Updated: 2019-06-06
Packaged: 2020-04-11 13:10:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19110349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snowsungirl/pseuds/Snowsungirl
Summary: Modern! AU! / Reincarnation AU!Amanda & Portia attend, renown hostess, Nadia's annual Masquerade Party in the small town of New Vesuvia. Amanda encounters a sense of familiarity in this strange town, and party setting, especially in violet eyes that speak to her, from another life.





	Familiar

**Author's Note:**

> This is a Modern AU! of my Apprentice & The Arcana's characters. They live in a town called New Vesuvia, and follows a type of Reincarnation AU! as well. It end's kinda on a cliffhanger, at least for now.

"Why did I do this to myself?" a lone woman asked herself aloud at her current predicament.

She knew better than to wander off from Portia to check out the mansion like palace. But, did she take precaution? No. No, Amanda didn’t. She regretted it. Especially being an introvert.

She kept mentally pacing as partiers in the Masquerade raciously cheered in already drunken slurs of party talk, laughter, and dancing. Amanda only slightly winced at this, as she barely was able to slip by, but not without hearing some tone chilled catcalls trying to invite her to dance.

Amanda looked up around the main ballroom to see if she could spot any sign of Portia and her bright ruby feline mask amongst the crowd, or even the hostess, who was also Portia’s closest friend/crush/girlfriend already?, Nadia Satrinava. Who, if Amanda last remembered her friend telling her would be wearing a black elegant owl feathered mask, along with outfit.

Amanda and Nadia had met formerly before, right after she recently moved into New Vesuvia. Amanda befriended Portia in her old hometown of briefly going to the same  community college, then later moving to Vesuvia as roommates to help start a new life, since college life wasn’t for them in the long run. 

Amanda decided to pursue a job taking care of her Great Aunt Rosemary’s flower shop, which was now in her care. It’s a good thing Amanda’s Aunt loved her visits and treasured her niece like a one of a kind flower, as well as help her pursue something she was passionate about. Amanda was a nature gal, and she preferred it that way, and so did her Aunt. Though they somewhat specialized in selling natural herbal remedies as well to the townsfolk, and the pair would work hard at perfecting them.

Portia on the other hand, moved to Vesuvia to be with her Godmother Mazelinka and to be close to her brother, Julian who was a doctor at a local clinic. Portia worked for Nadia as a maid, but befriended her so astonishingly well, that it was more of hanging out, than duty job. But, nonetheless Portia didn’t slack off in anyway, but the pair flirted in teases and laughter all the time.

In short, they both had a thing for each other, 'those lesbians'. Amanda chuckled at the thought sometimes of their happiness.

“If only I stuck with them….not a great start.” Amanda whispered as she fixed the placement of her  white mask, decorated with pink swirls around her eyes, along with light tones of yellow, blue and a hint of a touch of green. It really did her match her light blush pink gown, with white, as the flowers, similar to her own mask colors, were embedded in the fabric. It definitely went well with her aesthetic, she liked to think.

Feeling overwhelmed with the crowd of partiers she managed to find herself going upstairs to a leisurely balcony where surprisingly, there weren’t any other people around at all. She stared at the view below her, and saw even more people dancing under the lantern of lights, and tables filled with elegant dishes, and performers in awe. 

“Maybe I should go down there and befriend some new people,,,,even if I won’t recognize or know who they are.” she thought aloud. Then she felt a slither of a touch, tracing onto her arm and noticed a lavender-bluish like snake, with friendly ruby eyes.

Amanda didn’t flail but, screamed in short surprise. She didn’t know what to do, what was a snake even doing here??

There was a pair of footsteps that followed after her scream, and there in the doorway of the balcony was a person in a golden tanned fox mask, and an elaborately designed violet gown dress of sorts, with see through silk, that showed their chest and arms like water flow, adorned with a dark fuschia like sash.

This person also had the fluffiest curly white hair slicked back Amanda had ever seen, and was awestruck.

The guest searched her for visual cues and saw the culprit of his guessing, his little beloved troublemaker Faust, perched on her arm. “Ah, I’m so sorry miss! That’s actually my snake. I didn’t think she would wander off, forgive me." He apologized as his delicate white gloved hands helped her remove Faust from her arms.

Amanda was shyly, embarrassed, at this mysterious stranger and his light touches of getting Faust off her. “I- It’s no problem, no harm done, and thank you."

Faust slithered around her masters' waist and then rested her head on his tanned shoulder blades. It peaked her curiosity. “What's their name, if I may ask?”

The stranger was pleasantly surprised and smiled gently. “Her name is Faust, and she been my companion for a long time. She’s very sweet, but mischievous in her own right. She likes committing ‘crimes’”  he joked and Amanda smiled.

“That’s a cute name. And sorry again for the scream, it’s just not everyday I expect a snake to climb on me.” she said awkwardly giggled. “My names Amanda.” she politely greeted , with her hand extended out for a handshake to which he beamed back.

“Asra. Though I’m surprised you told me your name, most partiers usually keep their names a secret, save to a close few friends. That’s the point of a Masquerade, though I’m assuming this is your first.” he smirked mischievously. “ Not very wise I think”.

“Ah well! ….. Whoops!” she blurted at her mistake. “I’m sorry I’m just.... kinda lost. I got seperated from my friend Portia, and been trying to find Nadia.” she explained. This made Asra’s violet eyes lit up.

“Wait, I know them. So...oh! I know who you are now! I’ve heard about a new girl moving into town, a flower girl to be exact since your Aunt owns a locally famous flower shop in town”.  Asra casually said with curiosity lacing his tone.

“Ah, flower girl.... I guess I am!” Amanda happily agreed literally & figuratively as she lightly subconsciously brushed her flower delicately clipped to the side of her hair.

“But, you know them? That’s wonderful, do you know where they are by chance??” Amanda asked.

“I think I have a good idea where Nadia may be. Let’s go and find them.” Asra said, as he held a hand out for her to take, which she politely agreed.

His grasp on her hand was gentle and soft, as well as comforting, and it didn’t help that her new found friend was beautiful beyond compare that she had ever seen. Some lustful thoughts started breezing across her mind making her cheeks feel flustered.

As the pair walked downstairs, they made polite conversation. “So how long have you been in New Vesuvia for?” Asra asked.

“Only for a week. I’m still getting used to things. Though I do like it here, it’s beautiful and lively. It’s a nice change from my old hometown. It’s like a brand new adventure.” Amanda replied with a smile. 

“Something tells me you like adventure despite being shy. That’s quite amazing. Tell me do you dream about traveling?” he further asked.

“All the time in my daydreams. Is it weird that I feel like an old nomadic soul of sorts? Like it’s my calling, and the world is so vast and their could be all sorts of new things on the horizon?” Amanda elaborated in more of a statement than question.

Asra chuckled. “No, in fact I feel similar in a sense. I wonder if we had the same past life.”

Amanda looked at him curiously. “ You believe in that? Not saying that it’s not impossible, it’s just so weird and different to imagine. I hope we were good friends at least.” she lightly laughed.

“Many things are unknown in this life, whose to say a past life isn’t one of them?” Asra continued. Amanda thought and as they made their way to the back gardens of Nadia’s mansion she glanced at their casually entwined arms. Amanda wanted to say it felt like home, and familiar.

I wonder if that’s true……now that she thinks about it, she notices his violet eyes more and more. She's quite certain she's never seen him before coming to Vesuvia...but, her gut told her something else. Perhaps she was letting herself get too into this possibility into her new companion.

"Say Asra, ...."

“AMANDA!! THERE YOU ARE!! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!” a woman in a certain red, catlike mask shouted in worry as she hugged her friend in relief, temporarily breaking her arm held embrace from Asra. 

“I’m sorry Portia, I didn’t mean to get separated from you!” she apologized. “I’m so glad to have found you again!”

“Ah, Amanda! I’m glad to see you again. I hope you liked the detour of the party.” An elegantly dressed woman walked up alongside Portia greeted. Looking at her feathered owl like dark regal attire, Amanda knew it was Nadia.

“I actually did…., and I’m sorry again for losing my way Nadia.” 

Nadia raised her hand in ease and light surprise. “Not at all. And I quite meant it, have you seen the performers I have hired? They’re absolutely magnificent, and I was about to join the pyromancers' show with crowd. How about we all go together?” She invited asked and all of them obliged.

The group of friends watched watched the performers for a time, as cheers and professional tricks were done to impress the crowd, but suddenly something, technically someone caught Portia’s eye. A man also in dressed dark feathered attire that was almost outlandish, but embodied the raven quite well with their deep black beaked mask.

“Ilya!!” Portia yelled at her brother. “What are you doing?” as she walked up to him doing theatrical staged  tricks on a nearby empty table, and serenading another group of party goers. However his own response was dragging his sister quickly by the hand twirling her in jesting fun.

“C’mon dance with me Pasha! Let’s liven up the party, make a ruckus! I would’ve come sooner to the party but, was held up at work, thank goodness Nazali let me off finally.” Julian grinned not trying to break routine.

“Well it looks like Portia’s having fun with….Julian?” Amanda pointed out in more of an uncertain statement.  Asra and Nadia smiled in their direction. 

“Devorak’s are wild.” Asra chimed and Nadia hummed in acknowledgment as they saw the pair dancing away, Portia obviously improvising to her brother's surprise dance routine.

“Party crasher much? Perhaps. But, better than my ex, Lucio.” Nadia said as she smiled at the siblings partying foolishness. Then Nadia looked at Amanda and Asra, and a mysterious smile of thought came to mind. “Asra, Amanda, why don’t you come join me back to the gardens? It sure to be calmer over there, and we'll get to see some magical insight.”

“Magical insight? What do you mean?” Amanda asked cautiously confused looking between Asra & Nadia. Asra only nodded in response, then looked at Amanda with a mischievousness in his violet eyes. At the same time Faust was lightly bobbing her head energetically to the mini adventure in delight.

“Ah, another one of those? I guess we can do that. Tell me Amanda. Do you believe in insight from the  universe?” Asra asked.

“I think I do, why do you ask? Is there really going to be magic…?” Amanda asked dubiously lightly clasping hands in awaited caution mixed with intrigue.

“That all depends. Why don’t we find out….” Asra paused. “About the mysterious workings of my tarot deck.... The Arcana?”


End file.
